Onward, Onward

by Kathleen Earley-Walsh

Onward, onward cries of hope
emerging through gritted aggravation,
conflict, sorrow, starvation. Neighbours
pushing to claim their rights, brothers
drawing blood through clouded hearing,
Easter Rising, children starving oblivious
to the muffled sounds of tortured
guns blazing. Dull sound of
whimpering moans now transformed
into shimmering rays of hope
peace.

Reproduced with kind permission of the author. This poem was composed in Poetry as Commemoration workshops held at the National Museum of Ireland — Country Life on the 8th & 9th of November 2022. The workshops were led by writer Terry McDonagh.